“Well, Nancy,” said he, “charming Nancy, you’re my fancy, but in the meantime I have the honor and pleasure to bid you a good day.”

“Why, where are you goin’?” asked the woman.  “Won’t you wait for the rasher?”

“Keep it hot, charming Nancy, till I come back; I’m just goin’ to take a constitutional walk.”  So saying, Dandy, with the candle-box under his arm, darted out of the kitchen, and without waiting to know whether there was an answer to be brought back or not, mounted his jarvey, and desiring the man to drive as if the devil and all his imps were at their heels, set off at full speed for the city.

“Bad luck to you for a scamp,” exclaimed the indignant cook, shouting after him; “is that the way you trate a decent woman after gettin’ your skinful of the best?  Wait till you put your nose in this kitchen again, an’ it’a different fare you’ll get.”

On reaching his master’s hotel, Dandy went upstairs, where he found him preparing to go out.  He had just sealed a note, and leaning himself back on the chair, looked at his servant with a good deal of surprise, in consequence of the singularity of Ms manner.  Dandy, on the other hand, took the candle-box from under his arm, and putting it flat on the table, with the label downwards, placed his two hands upon it, and looked the other right in the face; after which he closed one eye, and gave him a very knowing wink.

“What do you mean, you scoundrel, by this impudence?” exclaimed his master, although at the same time he could not avoid laughing; for, in truth, he felt a kind of presentiment, grounded upon Dandy’s very assurance, that he was the bearer of some agreeable intelligence.  “What do you mean, sirra?  You’re drunk, I think.”

“Hi tell you what, sir,” replied Dandy, “from this day out, upon my soul, I’ll patronize you like a man as I am; that is to say, provided you continue to deserve it.”

“Come, sirra, you’re at your buffoonery again, or else you’re drunk, as I said.  Did the lady send any reply?”

“Have you any cash to spare?” replied Dandy.  “I want to invest a thrifle in the funds.”

“What can this impudence mean, sirra?” asked the other, sadly puzzled to understand his conduct.  “Why do you not reply to me?  Did the lady send an answer?”

“Most fortunate of all masthers,” replied Dandy, “in havin’ such a servant; the lady did send an answer.”

“And where is it, sirra?”

“There it is!” replied the other, shoving the candle-box triumphantly over to him, The stranger looked steadily at him, and was beginning to lose his temper, for he took it now for granted that his servant was drunk.

“I shall dismiss you instantly, sirra,” he said, “if you don’t come to your senses.”

“I suppose so,” replied the other, still maintaining his cool, unabashed effrontery.  “I dare say you will, just after I’ve made a man of you—­changed you from nothing to something, or, rather, from nobody—­for devil a much more you were up to the present time yet—­to somebody.  In the meantime, read the lady’s answer, if you plaise.”